Using Transacted Writes and Caching Mechanism to Improve Write Performance in Multi-Level Cell Flash Memory

Abstract

A method of writing a file to a flash memory is disclosed in which the file includes a number of data fragments and at least one sequence table. The method comprises writing the data fragments to a non-volatile memory; writing the at least one sequence table including sequence table entries which identifies locations of the data fragment written to the non-volatile memory to a volatile memory, and writing the sequence table from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory if the sequence table is full or if writing the data fragments of the file is completed.

1 . A method, comprising:
 writing data fragments to a non-volatile memory; and   updating sequence table entries to a volatile memory that identify locations of the data fragments written to the non-volatile memory.   
   
   
       2 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 writing the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory.   
   
   
       3 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 writing the sequence table having the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory if the sequence table is full.   
   
   
       4 . A memory of  claim 1  further comprising;
 writing the sequence table having the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory if writing the data fragments to the non-volatile memory is completed.   
   
   
       5 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 updating a transaction indicator in the non-volatile memory prior to writing a transaction to the non-volatile memory; and   updating the transaction indicator in the non-volatile memory after writing the transaction to the non-volatile memory,   wherein the transaction comprises the data fragments and the sequence table entries.   
   
   
       6 . A method of  claims 1 , further comprising:
 allocating a data fragment header associated to the data fragment in the non-volatile memory prior to writing the data fragment to the non-volatile memory; and   validating the data fragment header after writing the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory.   
   
   
       7 . A method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 allocating a sequence table header associated with the sequence table in the non-volatile memory prior to writing the sequence table to the non-volatile memory; and   validating the sequence table header after writing the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory.   
   
   
       8 . A system, comprising:
 a non-volatile memory;   a volatile memory; and   a processor to:   write data fragments to a non-volatile memory; and   update sequence table entries to a volatile memory that identify locations of the data fragments written to the non-volatile memory.   
   
   
       9 . A system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor further writes the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory. 
   
   
       10 . A system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor further writes the sequence table having the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory if the sequence table is full. 
   
   
       11 . A system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor further writes the sequence table having the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory if writing the data fragments to the non-volatile memory is completed. 
   
   
       12 . A system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor further:
 updates a transaction indicator in the non-volatile memory prior to writing a transaction to the non-volatile memory; and   updates the transaction indicator in the non-volatile memory after writing the transaction to the non-volatile memory,   wherein the transaction comprises the data fragments and the sequence table entries.   
   
   
       13 . A system of  claims 8 , wherein the processor further:
 allocates a data fragment header associated to the data fragment in the non-volatile memory prior to writing the data fragment to the non-volatile memory; and   validates the data fragment header after writing the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory.   
   
   
       14 . A system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor further:
 allocates a sequence table header associated with a sequence table in the non-volatile memory prior to writing the sequence table to the non-volatile memory; and   validates the sequence table header after writing the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory.   
   
   
       15 . A machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions which when executed result in an apparatus:
 writing data fragments to a non-volatile memory; and   updating sequence table entries to a volatile memory that identify locations of the data fragments written to the non-volatile memory.   
   
   
       16 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the apparatus:
 writing the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory.   
   
   
       17 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the apparatus:
 writing the sequence table having the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory if the sequence table is full.   
   
   
       18 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the apparatus:
 writing the sequence table having the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory if writing the data fragments to the non-volatile memory is completed.   
   
   
       19 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the apparatus:
 updating a transaction indicator in the non-volatile memory prior to writing a transaction to the non-volatile memory; and   updating the transaction indicator in the non-volatile memory after writing the transaction to the non-volatile memory,   wherein the transaction comprises the data fragments and the sequence table entries.   
   
   
       20 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the apparatus:
 allocating a data fragment header associated to the data fragment in the non-volatile memory prior to writing the data fragment to the non-volatile memory; and   validating the data fragment header after writing the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory.   
   
   
       21 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the apparatus:
 allocating a sequence table header associated with a sequence table in the non-volatile memory prior to writing the sequence table to the non-volatile memory; and   validating the sequence table header after writing the sequence table entries to the non-volatile memory.